Key result
College football training linked to a ~24% increase in LA volume index and ventricular sizes.
Why the study?
Studies evaluating the longitudinal effects of intense physical training on cardiac remodeling are limited, particularly in collegiate American football players.
Does college-level American football training result in longitudinal cardiac remodeling in collegiate athletes?
Observational (n=85)
Does college-level American football training result in longitudinal cardiac remodeling in collegiate athletes?
College-level American football training is associated with significant longitudinal increases in left and right ventricular chamber sizes, left atrial size, and aortic root diameter.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
May warrant echocardiographic monitoring in collegiate football athletes; leaves open long-term clinical significance and causality.
Background Studies on the longitudinal effects of intense physical training on cardiac remodeling are limited, especially in American collegiate football players. Hypothesis College‐level American football training will result in remodeling in a pattern consistent of a sport with moderate static and dynamic demands with increases in both wall and chamber sizes. Methods We studied 85 American collegiate football players who underwent transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) for asymptomatic or mild COVID‐19‐related illness and compared the changes in echo dimensions to their preparticipation screening TTE. Pre‐ and posttraining variables were compared using a paired t ‐test for normally distributed variables. Results Mean age was 19 years ± 1 and 61% of athletes were Black. Mean follow‐up between TTEs was 21 ± 13 months. There was an increase in left atrial volume index (26.4 ± 5.5 to 32.8 ± 8.4 mL/m 2 , p < .001), LV end diastolic diameter (5.13 ± 0.4 to 5.27 ± 0.4 cm, p = .003), basal RV diameter (3.28 ± 0.7 to 3.83 ± 0.5 cm, p = <.001), LV mass index (86.7 ± 15.3 to 90.1 ± 15.3, p = .015), and aortic root diameter (3.1 ± 0.4 to 3.2 ± 0.3 cm, p = .03) from pre‐ to posttraining, with a slightly greater magnitude in athletes with >2 years of training. Presence of left atrial enlargement (≥35 mL/m 2 ) increased from 2.9% to 29% pre‐ to postparticipation in athletes with >2 years training. No significant changes in wall thickness, diastolic function, or right ventricular systolic function were observed. Conclusion American football players college‐level training was associated with increases in left and right ventricular chamber sizes, left atrial size, and aortic root diameter.
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Hamburger et al. (2023) conducted an observational in American collegiate football players (n=85). College-level American football training vs. Preparticipation baseline was evaluated on Changes in echocardiographic dimensions (left atrial volume index, LV end diastolic diameter, basal RV diameter, LV mass index, aortic root diameter). College-level American football training over a mean of 21 months was associated with significant increases in left atrial volume index and ventricular chamber sizes.
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